Night of the Living Dead
by Sam M. Holmes
Summary: One-Shot The Avengers fight their most dangerous enemy yet. A horde of zombies. Please R&R.


I don't own the Avengers.

Draugr

_ It was widely known around Midgard that spirits were dangerous. The humans made very certain that the dead did not rise again, but more often than not, the dead walked amongst the living and reined terror over the nine realms. One such demon was the Draugr. Denied the ceremony of burial and shunned from Valhalla, the Draugr was a powerful demon spirit who yearned for the taste of human flesh. It was a monster, destroying everything it touched. Its ghastly pale skin was the color of dried parchment, stained with the blood of its kill. Their eyes glazed over with primal hunger. Nothing could stop it. It came to the attention of the gods high in Asgard's halls that these demons needed to be stopped. Odin, the All-Father, came down to Midgard in a rage of fire, purging the world of the demon. He warned the people of Earth to always follow the traditions to keep the monster contained. This all happened a long time ago. The Draugr disappeared into the myths and legends, old stories told to scare children into bed. They would one day return. _

* * *

Asgard

The Lady Frigga guided Thor into bed beside his brother who was already on the brink of exhaustion. Loki groaned slightly at the invasion in his bed, scrunching himself into the blankets and furs. Thor immediately apologized. Frigga settled down beside the bed, spreading her skirts underneath her. Loki realized what she was doing and sat up quickly. Story time. The best part about having to sleep next to Thor. The future kings were eight and six respectfully.

Frigga began to speak, weaving tales of their father, Odin. From the flaming Sword of Sutur to the World Tree Yggdrasil, she painted pictures of greatness and light. Thor beamed at each defeated enemy, wincing at each fallen ally. Loki listened raptly, blinking every so often to show that he was indeed alive. He loved the magic. Thor could revel in the wars; he wanted to learn of magic. Frigga wrapped up the stories, standing.

"Sleep now, dear ones. Tomorrow is another bright day," Frigga trilled. She turned to leave. Thor settled down among the pillows, but Loki sat rod straight. Thor watched him curiously, but Loki didn't speak his intentions. He could almost trace the wheels turning in the black-haired prince. Frigga was at the door before Loki spoke.

"Can you tell us of the Draugr, Mother?"

Frigga turned around slowly. A pained expression filled her face. She remembered the Draugr. And she hated them. "Perhaps when your older, Loki. Now sleep."

"But is it not a threat worthy of a story of Odin?" Loki asked. Quite eloquently for six years of age.

"No!" Frigga snapped. Loki recoiled, suddenly frightened of the great woman before him. He snuggled deep into the blankets, regretting ever bringing it up. Thor placed a warm hand on his shoulder. Frigga sighed, kneeling over her sons. "For another time, Loki. I promise."

"Good night, Mother."

And with that Frigga kissed each boy on the forehead and left them. Loki stayed awake far later than Thor. His mind went over the stories he had read in the library. The stories of the walking dead. It frightened him, yet fascinated him. Just as the moon was reaching its peak over the palace, Thor woke and looked at his brother. Loki looked small and frightened against the furs, staring through the window. Thor pulled his knees to his chest, clearing his throat. Loki jumped, falling against the headboard. He let out a string of curses that even Thor would not understand until many years later.

"Why do you stare at the Lady Moon like that?" Thor asked. His short blonde hair stuck up comically as he spoke, tilting his head this way and that.

"'In her light, the Draugr lies in wait'," whispered Loki. He shuddered.

Thor took pity on his little brother. With a sweep of his hand, he gathered Loki up in his arms. Loki tensed, but let his brother hug him. It had to come sooner or later. Just when Loki was about to scold Thor for holding him for so long, Thor murmured, "I'll never let the Draugr hurt you." The innocence of this statement brightened Loki. He would always have his big brother to look out for him. Always.

* * *

Midgard 2016

Loki Laufeyson rolled over on the bed, pulling the blankets over his head. The light continued with its path, tormenting the god. He cursed its rays. He tried squeezing his eyes shut, just enough to go back to sleep. That proved impossible. He was wide awake as ever. Loki roused himself, sitting at the edge of his bed and rubbing at his face with his palm. He let out a loud yawn. With difficulty, he rolled off the bed and onto the cold wooden floors. He stumbled out into the living room of his shared flat, thumping down unceremoniously onto the couch. Jarvis automatically begin to spout the weather report and the news headlines. Even four years after the incident, the humans still worried over New York and aliens. Loki laughed to himself. What a surprise they would get if they learned of the god responsible living amongst their midst.

After serving his punishment in Asgard, Odin had freed Loki to Midgard to serve the humans he had loathed. The Avengers did _not_ take to him kindly. Loki almost was simultaneously killed with an arrow, a bullet, a shield, a repulsor blast, _and_ a giant green rage monster for the second time in his life. Thor luckily stopped them from tearing him limb from limb and explained Odin's reasoning. The Avengers came around to it slowly, but after the first year, Loki was just another Avenger. He trained with them, fought by their sides, and spent every waking moment in one of their presences. After another year, he and Clint Barton began pranking the others on a daily basis. Barton was still wary of him, but they eventually got over their differences. Romanoff still hated him.

"How dare you! I will tear thee apart in a flash!" a voice grunted from the kitchen. Loki rolled his eyes, pulling himself to his feet. He shared a flat with his brother. He wasn't happy about it, but Thor would occasionally offer some entertainment. Such as today. Loki stalked to the kitchen to find Thor hovering over the glass stove, fingers stuck in his mouth. One of the stove tops was on, but he kept prodding it with the burnt fingers. "Damn this Midgardian contraption!"

"What has it done to you? Mock your beard?" Loki sighed. Thor turned around, eyebrows drawn up in confusion.

"I was going to make eggs like Lady Jane taught me, but the blasted thing attacked me!" Thor whined. Loki pushed past him, turning off the dials. He motioned to a little red light in the center. "Does that mean it works?"

"That means that it's hot, you oaf," Loki face-palmed. Guiding Thor to the cabinet, he pulled out a box of Poptarts. "These are more to your liking. The next time you use the kitchen, call me." Loki ran a hand through his hair, wondering why Thor was so dense.

"I will ask Friend Barton to make me something…" Thor whispered. He tossed the box on top of the stove and left the room. Loki cursed, jumping to the rescue. He scooped up the already smoking box and chilled it with a spell. _Such an idiot!_ He thought. Then he followed Thor down to the main area meant for the team. They opened the door with a flourish, announcing their presence.

Tony Stark sat comfortably in a leather couch, shined to perfection. He had a tablet propped on his knee, and his fingers flew across the screen fluidly. Natasha Romanoff was seated at the bar, chin in her hand. Her curls were flattened with sleep, but she still looked deadly beautiful. Clint Barton was opposite her with a file open on the bar. He leaned across, pointing something out to her with an inquisitive look in his eye. She didn't seem to be listening to him. The suspicions were confirmed when she loosed a long yawn and jumped off the bar to greet the Asgardians.

"Good morning," she yawned, almost elegantly. Loki bowed his head appreciatively, and Thor clapped his good hand onto her back. Natasha winced, but made no noise.

"Good morrow, Lady Natasha!" Thor boomed. Loki grimaced, seating himself on the bar across from Barton. The archer slid a cup of coffee towards him, understanding immediately. Loki sipped at the liquid. It was fresh and warm, but not too hot. Barton handed him the sugar before returning to his file. Thor sat next to Tony. "Are you well, Friend Stark?"

"Mhm," Tony waved his hand distractedly. "I'm busy, Thor." Thor looked like a wounded puppy, but he didn't ask any further questions. The billionaire's eyes were shadowed with a lack of sleep. He tossed aside the tablet, scrubbing his face with his palms. "Barton, I need a drink. Preferably something alcoholic."

Barton looked up from his file. "No. It's too early." He slid the file over to Loki. "What do you know about Norway?" Loki shot him a look similar to 'fuck off'. Barton stifled a chuckle. "Just kidding. Fury just wanted a routine run through for Hydra tech. Cap's in the training room, but we wanted to look over it first." Loki rolled his eyes and looked down at the file. He scanned it and shrugged.

"I wouldn't know it through words, Barton," Loki handed him back the file and choked down more coffee. "Rogers would be the one to ask." Barton sighed and nodded.

"I told you," Natasha smirked. She visibly stayed farther away from Loki, choosing to sit on the other end of the bar.

"Told him what?" Bruce was dog-earing a page in a large physics book as he walked in.

"That Steve knows Hydra the best." Bruce nodded, suddenly understanding. As if by clockwork, a very tired Steve Rogers stumbled into the team room. His hair was wet from a recent shower, tussled over the top of his head. He wore khakis and a loose button-down shirt that was tucked militaristically in his belt. Barton automatically made him a cup of coffee. "Speak of the handsome devil," Natasha teased.

"Good morning, team," Steve smiled, unusually bright. A chorus of good mornings was thrown back at him. Barton handed him the cup, wiping his hands on his jeans. "Thanks. What's on the agenda for today?"

"We're watching _Boondock Saints_," Tony chirped. He had lulled himself back to sleep, but had woken at the sound of Steve's entrance. "Steve hasn't seen it." Thor raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Or Goldilocks."

"We need to check in with Fury," Natasha scolded him.

"Right… we're heroes on demand now…" Tony moaned. He burrowed his head into his arm, snorking loudly. "Jarvis, call Fury."

_Right away, sir._

Loki jumped. He didn't mind Jarvis, but sometimes, he came out of nowhere. Barton chuckled darkly as an image of the SHIELD insignia was conjured on the window. The dial-tone rang out six times before a familiar figure popped onto the screen. And it wasn't the one-eyed director. Agent Maria Hill glared at the Avengers with crossed arms.

"What?" she growled. For an assistant, she sure exercised her authority.

"Where's Fury?" Tony snapped back. "And if he's in your bedroom, I don't want to know." His smirk was enough to make Hill want to slap him across the face.

"Fury is busy. He's doing some research on a potential mission."

"Potential?" Barton questioned.

"Classified."

"Like that has stopped us before…" Bruce murmured. He directed this one at Tony who was already tapping a code into his tablet. Hill took a moment, contemplating whether to tell them or not. Steve finished his coffee, setting the cup on the bar.

"Does it call for the Avengers?" he asked simply.

Hill sighed. "The director is going to gut me for this…" Thor's eyes shot open in alarm.

"Would he really?!" Thor stood up quickly, hand reaching out to call for Mjolnir. Loki raced to his side, pressing a hand down on his forearm.

"No! It's an expression, you idiot!" Loki hissed. Thor seemed appeased and sat back down. The team waited patiently for Hill. Finally, she spoke.

"There is an unidentified creature terrorizing towns in rural Germany," Hill began. Like many SHIELD agents, she did not show any emotion when she spoke, but the concern was still thick in the air. "We can't get a visual, but we've seen the carnage." Tony grunted, lifting up his tablet. With a swiping motion, the image there appeared next to Hill. Loki's eyes widened in shock.

It had not been a large town. The sky was dark with smoke, fire curling up between the buildings. Trees were charred and sliced down to stumps. What made the team sick to their stomachs were the corpses that littered the streets. Or at least, the pieces. From the picture, they couldn't make out everything. A severed hand was clutching a broken branch. Bruce noted that it looked almost chewed. Thor met Loki's eyes for a second, a million words passing between them.

It couldn't be.

_Frigga weaved the tales of broken villages pillaged and destroyed at the Draugr's hand. She told of corpses covering the ground like fresh snow. And she spoke of the smell. The smell of desperation and hunger. Thor flinched away, palms covering his ears. He didn't like these stories, but he had promised Loki that he would be here. The ten year old God of Mischief listened with wide eyes. Unknowingly, Loki latched onto Thor's arm, pulling his brother closer. _

The brothers remembered.

"Do you possess an understanding of where it will strike next?" Loki asked. His eyes were filled with fear. If this was the Draugr, then humankind as a whole could be obliterated. He had developed feelings toward the human race, even after trying to take over them.

"We've tracked it to the Black Forest in Germany," Hill finished. "Fury is researching the possibilities…"

"I know what it is," Loki and Thor announced in unison. The team turned and looked at them in surprise. Thor reddened slightly when everyone looked at them, but Loki simply sighed.

"At least, I believe so…" Loki approached the window showing the expectant Hill. "When I was a child, my… mother told me stories of a terrifying monster called the Draugr." Loki paced in front of them, never once bringing up his eyes. He knew more than anyone that eyes betray emotion. He didn't want to alarm them. Thor was doing to the same thing. Even as adults, the stories scared them. "It destroyed Midgard long before your ancestors discovered knowledge." It didn't actually mean to sound like an insult, but it was Loki after all. "I thought that we wiped them all out…"

"Father has gotten old, brother," Thor reminded. "He can't keep eyes on Earth all the time. That's why I am here." He stood to join his brother. "Agent Hill, we will track down this Draugr and destroy it once and for all."

"That's awfully convenient that you just _happen_ to know what it is…" Tony mumbled.

"Shut it, Stark," Barton sighed. "I've heard that word before. What does it actually mean? In English?"

"The Draugr is…" Loki thought about this. "I believe it is similar to the 'Walkers' from that odd television show that Tony made us watch."

"_The Walking Dead_?" Tony shot up. "Shit! Really?! It's a zombie?!"

"Zombie?" Thor and Steve both asked rather politely.

Jarvis pinged and defined it. _A dead creature given life, normally with an insatiable hunger for human flesh. _Steve paled immediately. Bruce flipped his glasses up to the top of his head, thumbnail between his teeth. Loki and Thor nodded in agreement. Hill pressed the side of her Bluetooth, whispering something to what they assumed was Fury. Barton leaned next to Natasha, exchanging hushed words. He did not look too happy. After a few minutes, Hill returned to them.

"Fury wants us out there. Now."

Steve straightened. "Alright. Suit up!"

* * *

The trees swayed in the thick European wind, tossing pine needles around the ground. Even in summer, it was slightly chilly. The pine trees smelled sweet, the ground fresh. It was beautiful under every circumstance except for one. Along the forest floor, bones and blood flowed like a river. Red stained the bark of the trees, crusting off like a second skin. Natasha bent over the bones, fingers tracing the harsh couture of the chewed appendages. It was fresh. Fifteen minutes at the longest. Barton had managed to scramble up a tree, scoping out the area around them. Steve and Tony were arguing loudly about something stupid. Bruce opted to stay in the helicopter for the time being. Thor and Loki were seated at the edge of the woods, overlooking a clearing. The noises of the forest did not include those of animals. The Draugr had scared them away. Thor and Loki were silent, dressed in full armor. Mjolnir sat between Thor's knees, and Loki held a golden staff that looked an awful lot like Gungir in his hands. Loki's eyes scanned the trees.

"What be on your mind, Loki?" Thor asked, his voice barely a whisper. It sounded almost choked. They both knew what was on his mind. Even the gods on high in Asgard feared the living dead. And it especially scared the two brothers.

"Can we defeat it as Odin did?" Loki turned to him. "I mean, he is the All-Father. Do you think we could…?" Thor shook his head, silencing him. It wasn't confirming his thoughts, merely ridiculing them. He placed one large hand on Loki's neck, reassuring him.

"We'll wipe it from the face of Yggdrasil. I promise you."

_I'll never let the Draugr hurt you._

Loki smiled slight, bringing his hand up to touch Thor's hand. A voice shook them from their thoughts, causing them to separate. "_Thor! Loki! Get over here now!_" They jumped to their feet, pushing off and running towards the other Avengers. An inhuman scream shattered through the forest followed by a familiar scream of anger. Looks like someone found the monster…

The Hulk crashed through the trees, swiping at the monster before it. The Draugr was everything that Frigga had described. Blood dripped from its wide open mouth, teeth pointy and sharp. It might have been a bodybuilder from its sheer size. It was almost as big as Thor. In its hand, it held a knife, stained with the blood of the innocent. It parried with the Hulk with surprising speed. What made it different from the humans was that its heart dangled from a large gash in its chest and several organs were on the outside of its body. Its face was ghastly pale. It roared at the Hulk, and the Hulk roared back. The others held back, waiting for the Hulk to finish it off.

"Is that…?" Steve started as he saw Loki.

"Aye!" Loki yelled over the clatter. Thor spun his hammer, but Loki stopped him. "How did Odin defeat him, Thor?" Thor's head snapped around. Loki gritted his teeth as the Draugr screamed in frustration. "We must consult the past! To help us defeat it!"

_"But how did Father defeat it?" Thor asked nervously. His face was as white as the sheets that he was wrapped in. Loki nodded quickly, hands clasped in front of him. Frigga smiled for the first time since she started the tale. _

_ "Nothing can live without its mind, dear ones." _

"'Nothing can live without its mind…'" Thor remembered. Loki's eyes widened.

"Of course!" He looked up, finding Barton a couple branches up from him, bow aimed towards the battle. "Barton! You must shoot it in the head!" Barton tilted his head, averting his eyes slightly. He hummed in acknowledgement and let the arrow go. It zipped through the air. With a sick squelch, it found its mark. The Hulk froze, unable to believe what stood before him. The Draugr collapsed, suddenly dead, an arrow through his eye.

"Nice shot, Clint!" Natasha grinned, already sticking her guns in her holster. He winked at her, jumping down from the tree. It was higher than he thought, so he landed and rolled. Once he was back on his feet, the others were already relaxing.

"That was easy…" Tony pantomimed pressing the 'Easy Button'.

Steve secured his shield on his back. "Maybe too simple…"

Loki's smile disappeared. He heard something. A rustle in the bushes. He swung his staff around, scanning the undergrowth apprehensively. Something told him it was far from over. Thor eyed him with concern. "Loki…?"

A scream echoed through the trees. Then another. And another. Clint and Natasha jumped to action, weapons raised. One after another, dozens of Draugrs, of zombies, piled out of the forest, running for the team. Loki raised his staff, hands shaking.

"It's only just begun…" he whispered.

* * *

Loki grunted in pain, falling back hard against the tree. His eyes slammed shut, and the air flew out of his lungs. He slid down the tree, waiting for the Draugr to come back after him. It hesitated, a thing like a sword dangling from its skeleton hand. That was just long enough. Mjolnir rocketed at the Draugr, knocking its head right off its shoulders. The head hissed and bit out at Loki. Loki conjured a knife and slid it into the back of its skull, severing its movements.

"Are you well, brother?" called Thor. He summoned Mjolnir back, swinging it at another monster. Loki nodded, still breathless. He struggled to his feet, summoning his spear back. It flew to his hand. He stabbed a monster, using the knife to kill it.

The Captain was hurling his shield, but he was using it more as a defense than an offense. The Draugr kept running at him. The problem with them was that they were easy to kill unless you had a horde on your hands. More than one could overpower a village of people. Luckily, the Avengers were holding their own. Those without protection, Clint and Natasha, were on the branches of the pine trees, shooting at the zombies with deadly accuracy. The Hulk threw the Draugr left and right. Iron Man's repulsors separated their heads with ease, but they kept coming. More and more poured through the trees. Loki realized with horror that they might not win this fight. He stretched his mind, creating several doubles to help with the fight. Captain paused slightly, eyes widening with an impressed shock.

"How did you…?"

"Cap!" screeched a mechanical voice. A Draugr leapt on top of him, pinning him to the ground. Steve cried out, rolling underneath it. He separated himself with the shield, dodging the snapping jaws. A repulsor blast richocheted off the shield, bouncing and hitting the zombie square in the head. Steve's heart raced. Iron Man reached past the shield and hauled the Captain to his feet. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Steve reassured him. And then they were back into the fight.

Loki sank to his knees, knife sticking from his stomach. He dissolved, and the real Loki yowled in pain. One more of this and he wouldn't be able to keep it up. Thor was suddenly at his side, Mjolnir banging off the assailants. Loki smiled, slicing through another Draugr. Pain rippled through him again. Another double down. His projections shimmered, and the Draugr realized what was going on. They flew at the images with full force. One after another, the doubles were killed. Loki screamed in pain, falling to his knees. The projections disappeared, and the Draugr advanced. He could faintly hear Thor call his name, but it was lost in the screams of the living dead. Images swum before his eyes. Everything hurt. With one last act of desperation, Loki teleported himself a little ways away. As he came to, he realized that he couldn't feel ground beneath his feet.

"_Thor!_" Loki cried. He was dangling over a cliff, arms holding him up. Scrambling for a grip, his hands found a thick root. He held onto it tightly. "_Thor!_" He tried to teleport himself up onto the top, but his magic was failing him. The power drained from his mind, leaching him from the magic he so desired.

Dangling.

Free air.

Nothingness.

A growling made Loki's head snap up. He almost screamed again when he saw a Draugr stumbling towards him. It held an axe, and the axe dragged along beside it. Maybe it hadn't seen him. Loki pressed against the wall, willing away the monster. A growl told him everything he needed to know. The Draugr ran straight towards him, axe raised, eyes thirsty for blood. Loki closed his eyes. It would all be over soon. He released the root.

Loki was falling. It was much better to die from the sudden stop at the end than to be a meal for the Draugr. He didn't want to come back, not like that. His cape billowed around him like wings. He kept probing his magic, but it didn't work. A tear leaked from the corner of his eyes. He really was going to die.

"_NO!_"

The jolt came sooner than expected. Loki gasped. His eyes shot open. It shouldn't have come that soon. He realized that it was not rocks that now held his body. It was Thor. The god was flying over the trees, settling him on the ledge he had fallen off of. Loki stumbled forward, thankful that Thor steadied him. The Draugr that had come after him lay dead in the pine needles. It smelled of death. There was a promise kept. Thor would always look out for his brother.

"How… how many?" managed Loki. Thor allowed a grin to spread across his face. "All of them?" He nodded. Loki grinned, laughing a laugh of triumph and exhaustion. Thor joined him, arm wrapping around his shoulders.

"Are you well, Loki? I ask many times, but the answer is always different," Thor guided him back towards the other Avengers. Loki sighed, still regaining his composure.

"Mother was right," Loki spoke surely.

"Oh?"

"The Draugr is a story for someone much older…"

* * *

I like zombies. I like Avengers. *throws it at you* Here ya go.

Please R&R.

SMH


End file.
